Moment Of Love

I watch too many movies and have filled my head with a lot of drama and tragic scenarios from those rom-coms. These movies have generally not been kind to women, in my opinion, except for setting unrealistic expectations, especially regarding special moment of love.

My vegetarian struggles are a story for another day, but today’s tale is about the execution of a well-formulated plan to fetch my lunch. On our last day in Langkawi, we had booked a sunset cruise to end our adventures there. We spent the first half of the day shopping at mandatory duty-free outlets. After an unsuccessful attempt to find vegetarian food at the food court, we decided to grab a sub sandwich from the nearest Subway outlet.

We had lost most of our lunchtime during that food hunt and some unexpected parking issues. With the limited time remaining before the cruise, we needed to grab lunch, return to the hotel, change clothes, and then head to the jetty. After some calculations, we decided that P would drop me off at the Subway and circle the area. I would meet him at the designated spot after 10 minutes, assuming it would take a reasonable amount of time to get the sandwich packed during peak lunch hours. Since we had only one local SIM card, which P was using, it was crucial to follow the plan we discussed.

P dropped me off at Subway at 1320 hrs. I quickly entered and recited my exact order from the previous night: only veggies with sauces and cheese. The staff took just 2 minutes to prepare and pack it before handing it to me. I was back at the drop-off point by 1325 hrs. Then the waiting began, which felt excruciatingly endless.

I waited patiently until 1335 hrs. I wondered why circling around the block would take so long. He should have been here by now. Every minute that ticked by raced my heart. Our silver Honda City was nowhere to be seen. Many vehicles came and left with their passengers, but the one I was waiting for was not among them.

Another 5 minutes passed, and my anxiety began to rise. My overthinking spiraled into a dark sinkhole. Where has he gone? Is he stuck somewhere? How should I contact him? What should I do? Where should I go? As seconds ticked away, my thoughts grew sillier. Even though I had my phone, my card, and some cash, I suddenly felt lost and alone in a foreign country at that moment.

It was now 1345 hrs. Anxiety kicked in to protect me, and alternate plans started to form in my mind as I tried to calm myself with deep breaths. Should I activate international roaming on my phone and call him? Should I return to Subway and ask them to help me make a call? Should I ask around for help to make a call? Should I take a taxi back to the hotel and then decide on my next steps?

Pacing back and forth without being able to decide on my next move, I finally noticed the gleaming grey car turning around the block. As it came closer, I recognized the number. He was finally here! Phew!

As I took my seat in the car, I hugged him tightly, saying, “Thank God! You are here!” He looked at me, confused.

“When I came back the first time around, I realized it was too short a round, so I decided to take a longer detour.”

At that moment, I gazed at him with all my love and smiled to myself before narrating the whole ordeal.

“Oh, so the ‘Day of Love’ happened to you,” he chuckled, quoting an old Indian TV commercial for Platinum Love bands.

Follow me this April as I take you on a journey through our unforgettable Malaysian adventures, chapter by chapter.